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Brandon Reid only had a couple of cups of NHL coffee totalling just 22 games. But he was a dynamic skater and as hard working a player as he was creative, and you could not help but pull for the little guy. It really showed in his 7 game trial with the Canucks in 2003 which was extended with 9 more games in the playoffs.

Reid was junior superstar with Halifax and later Val d'Or, but he had trouble convincing NHL scouts he could one day make the jump to the big leagues. Despite his obvious skill, speed, creativity and determination, he was passed over in the 1999 draft completely.

It was not until he starred as a Canadian WJC hero in 2000 that he really caught the NHL's attention. He helped Canada win bronze in both 2000 and 2001, and led both Halifax and Val d'Or to Memorial Cup appearances (winning the Most Sportsmanlike Player award both times.

Ultimately NHL scouts proved to be correct. He never found the right fit to let his speed and creativity off-set his lack of size. He tended to overhandle the puck at times and his defensive game also held him back.

Outside of his 13 games he proved to be a serviceable AHLer with the Manitoba Moose before moving to Europe where he was a fan favorite in both Germany and Switzerlan.

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comments:

i saw brandon reid play three seasons for the halifax mooseheads and he was a pleasure to watch every time he was on the ice. it is a shame that he did not have a significant nhl career but it is good to know that he was able to perform at a high level in europe.